Clock mechanism



Nov. 17, 1925. 1,561,786

H. M. HUEMANN CLOCK MECHANISM Filed Dec. 1924 INVENTOR I'd/7. M/EMA/YN ATTORNEYS Patented Nov. 17, 1925.

UNITED STATES HH'UBEBT M. HUEMANN, or WALLACE, IDAHO.

onoox MECHANISM.

Application filed December 8, 1924. Serial No. 754,580.

clock mechanism in which the movement is actuated by electric impulses, and it consists in the'combinations, constructions, and arrangements herein described and claimed.

The main object of my invention is to provide an electrically actuated mechanism consisting of a minimum number of parts, thereby greatly reducing the cost of the mechanism without impairing its efiiciency.

A further object of my invention is to provide an electrically actuated clock mechanism of simple construction, with means for holding the actuating magnet rigidly while at the same time providing for a quick and accurate adjustment of the magnet with respect to its armature.

Other objects and'advantages willappear in the following specification, and the novel features of the invention will be particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings forming part of this application, in which- Figure 1 is a face view of an embodiment of my invention,

Figure 2 is a section through the clock mechanism along the line 2-2 of Figure 1,

Figure 3 is a section along the line 33 of Figure 2,

- Figure 4 is a detail viewof a portion of the device, and T Figure 5 is a section along the line 5--5 of Figure 4.

In carrying out my invention I provide a base plate 1 which is preferably of brass, to which are secured posts 2 and 3 respectively, in any suitable manner, such as by riveting, welding, or otherwise. At the opposite ends of the posts 2 and 3-is a plate or bar 4 which is secured to the posts by means of screws 2' and 3.respect1vely.

A central shaft 5 is journaled in the plates 1 and 4. Mounted on this shaft is a ratchet wheel 6 having teeth 7 arranged to be engaged by a gravity actuated pawl 8 which is pivoted at 9 to a lever arm 10. The latter is carried by a hub 11 which is frictionall secured to a shaft 12. To this end, the hu is provided with cross. slots 13 (see Figure 5) the portions therebetween being pinched together to clamp the shaft.

The shaft 12 has hearings in plates 1 and 4 so as to permit a pivotal movementof the lever 10. The lower end of the latter is bent, as shown, into a plane at right angles with the body portion, and 'bears an armature 14. As will be seen from Figures 2, 3, and 4, a spring 15 passes through the shaft 12 and bears'against the post 3 ina slot 16. The construction issuch that. when the armature 14 is attracted, it will puttension on the spring 15 to return it to. the normal position shown in Figure 3. Connected with the shaft is a train of gears 17 for driving the hour hand 18, the minute hand 19 being directly connected to the shaft 5.

The magnet 20, for operating this device, has a core 21 which is riveted to a bracket 22 having a base portion 23 provided with a slot 24. The base portion 23 of the bracket is secured to the plate 1 by means of screws 25.

From the foregoing descriptionof the various parts of the device, the operation thereof may be readily'understood. This mechanism is designed to be used primarily v with a master clock (not shown) which sends impulses periodically,such as one impulse a minute. Assuming, then, that an impulse is passed through the wires 26, the magnet 20 will attract the armature 14 and will move the lever, together with its pawl 8, to the right (see Figure 3) for the space of one tooth. At the close of the momentary current the spring 15 will cause a movement to the left (see Figure 3) thus rotating the wheel 6 for the space of one tooth, or

until the pawl 8 reaches the .stop arm 2. It will be noted that the wheel 6 cannot go be= yond a certain distance, since the pawl is inserted between the tooth and the post 2, thus stopping the tooth at the precise position desired. It will be noted that I make use of the post 2 which forms part of the framework of the clock. I can thus dispense with an additional stop member, such as that ordinarily provided either in the form of an escapement or in the form of a pin on the lever which engages a tooth on the wheel 6. This permits me to make the teeth of a triangular shape, rather than square, while the post 2 forms as effective a stop as may be desired. The use of the post 3 as a means against which the spring 15 may bear also gives to this post a double function, and obviates the necessity of an additional means against which the spring may bear. The tension of the spring 15may be increased or decreased by grasping the hub 11 and turning the shaft 12 against the frictional resistance of the hub so as to shift the position of the lever with respect to the spring. The tension of the spring may be thus increased or decreased very quickly. V

The means for adjusting the distance be tween the armature 14 and the pole piece 21 of the magnet is to place a gauge or template between the armature 14 and the pole piece 21, toloosen the screws 25, and to move the magnet up to the gauge, when, by tightening the screws 25 and withdrawing the gauge, the magnet will be in the pi'oper position for operating the armature.

y intention, as stated above, has been to provide a clock mechanism operated by electric impulses, which is simple, andyet which is positive in action and which dispenses with certain parts in ordinary use.

Besides simplifying the device, the construction described permits of the use of a mechanism which takes up very little space and is of comparatively light weight.

I claim:'

1. A clock mechanism comprising a base plate, a post carried thereby, a bar secured to one end of said post, a shaft journaled between said baseplate and said bar, a ratchet carried by said shaft, a lever, a pawl pivotally connected with said lever and arranged to engage the teeth of said ratchet, a shaft pivotally mounted between said bar and said base plate, a spring carried by said shaft and having one end arranged to bear against said post, and means for frictionally mounting said lever on said pivoted shaft.

2. A clock mechanism comprising a base plate, a pair of posts carried thereby, a bar secured to vsaid posts, a shaft journaled between said base plate and said bar, a ratchet carried by said shaft, a lever, a pawl pivotally connected with said lever and arranged to engage the teeth of said ratchet, one end of the pawl being movable into contact with one of said'posts, a pivoted shaft, a leaf springextending through said pivoted shaft and bearing at one end on the other of said posts, and frictional means for mounting said lever on said pivoted shaft, "said pivoted shaft being movable relatively to said lever to increase or decrease the tension'of the spring.

3. A clock mechanism,comprisingaframe, a shaft journaled in said frame, a ratchet carried by' said shaft, a lever pivotally mounted onsaid frame, a pawl carried by said lever, atone end thereof, and arranged to engage the teeth of said ratchet, an armature carried by the opposite end of the lever, a magnet, a bracket for supporting the magnet, and means for permitting the adjustment of the magnet toward and away from said armature, said last named means comprising a screw carried by the frame, the threaded portion of the screw passing through a slot in said bracket, thereby permitting the shifting of the bracket and the clamping of the same in any desired position.

H. M. HUEMANN. 

